NetEase Games, the developer behind Marvel Rivals, has swiftly responded to the recent community-wide Support strike initiated by fans just days ago. The strike, sparked by dissatisfaction among Strategists—the game's Support class—has highlighted a pressing issue that emerged in Season 2. Despite the season's overall success with new characters, maps, and modes, the balance changes have shifted power dynamics, leaving Strategists struggling against the more dominant Vanguards and Duelists.
AnswerSee ResultsThe community's frustration boiled over into social media campaigns, with many Strategists voicing their discontent over not just challenging gameplay, but also toxic interactions from teammates blaming them for losses. One Reddit user commented, "We’re not asking to be glorified or seen as the ‘hardest’ role - because I don’t think we are. We just want basic respect. It’s tiring to be called brain dead or worthless when your stats are solid and you’re playing your role the way it’s meant to be played."
I Need Healing
Responding to the strike and the broader concerns, NetEase outlined their strategy in a Dev Talk post. The plan to alleviate pressure on Strategists is twofold: buffing the Support class and adjusting the Competitive mode to be more rewarding. An upcoming patch will elevate the "threat levels" of Strategists, potentially enhancing characters like Invisible Woman or Jeff the Land Shark. Meanwhile, Vanguards such as Captain America and Groot will see nerfs to their survivability, and Spider-Man's Amazing Combo will face a reduction in damage range. While specific details on character adjustments remain under wraps, NetEase emphasized a cautious approach to mid-season balance adjustments to prevent drastic shifts in the meta.
"Since this is a mid-season balance adjustment, we aim to be cautious, keeping changes minimal to enhance the experience of certain heroes without drastically altering the overall meta," NetEase explained. "As we move into S2.5, with Ultron's arrival and new Team-Up Ability adjustments, we'll consider broader, more comprehensive balance changes."
In the Competitive mode of Marvel Rivals, Duelists have enjoyed a performance advantage since Season 2's launch, while Vanguards and Strategists have lagged behind. To address this imbalance, NetEase plans to recalibrate performance rating calculations to ensure fairness across all heroes. "Balancing the game and rank adjustments is a challenging endeavor, and we can't guarantee perfection 100% of the time," the Dev Talk noted. "However, we remain humble and attentive, striving to address issues promptly and enhance your experience. Stay tuned for official patch announcements for more updates. Thank you for your support and patience!"
Season 2 of Marvel Rivals brought in Emma Frost as the newest playable Vanguard hero, with Season 2.5 set to introduce Ultron. As the community awaits these balance changes, there's also buzz around a potential new collection of swimsuit skins teased by Marvel, which could add a fresh layer of customization to the game.
